MISGAV, Israel, September 30, 2014 /PRNewswire/ — LapSpace Medical, a portfolio company of The Trendlines Group, announced it completed a series of successful procedures, utilizing its inflatable laparoscopic retractor, on patients in the United States and India.

The surgeries were performed by Dr. Bruce Ramshaw and Dr. Surendra Ugale, both world-renowned laparoscopic surgeons. LapSpace’s device was used to retract the intestines during laparoscopic abdominal surgery. However, it was found suitable for other applications as well, including retracting more “solid” organs such as the liver. Based on this achievement, and the uses for the device, the company recently increased its market potential to more than 8 million laparoscopic surgeries a year.

LapSpace Medical has three pending patents and FDA clearance. With these positive surgical results, LapSpace is poised to begin marketing and sales in the United States. Additionally, the company has started the process for CE clearance to enable sales in the European market.

Deployed through a standard trocar and inflated once inside the abdominal cavity, the LapSpace retractor gently “catches” and retracts the organs such as the intestines to create a stable operating field. When the procedure is completed, the device is deflated and removed through the entry port. The retractor’s self-retaining clamp allows it to remain in place for long periods of time, without the need for additional surgical personnel.

Assaf Livne, CEO of LapSpace Medical: “We are extremely satisfied to have met our clinical goals which demonstrate that the LapSpace device provides effective organ retraction, as well as numerous other advantages.”

“LapSpace Medical has achieved a number of important successes in a relatively short time, from gaining investment and FDA clearance to its recent successful clinical goals. We believe that the LapSpace retractor will soon be the gold standard for retraction of organs in laparoscopic procedures,” remarks Omer Schalit-Cohen, VP Business Development, Trendlines Medical.